In my previous article on the skincare series, I shared my experience with skincare as someone with sensitive skin. And if you’re someone who suffers the same fate, you’ll understand the struggle when looking for suitable skincare products to use. Continuing from that experience, I came to learn a little bit more about my own skin type. So, now I’m back to share some mistakes you should avoid (and some tips!) for someone with sensitive skin type. Again, skincare is for everyone but not all skincare routines suit everyone. If you’re someone who’s just starting out with skincare or looking for a change in your routine, you’ve found the right place!
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
Sensitive Skin: Tried And Tested Skincare Lessons
When I mentioned I have sensitive skin, I meant hyper-sensitive skin. After a trip to a dermatologist and an allergy specialist, it turned out I’m allergic to the sun, nickle, detergent, and fragrance. Not to worry, none of them are serious or life-threatening but you get the gist. Not gonna lie, it’s still a really frustrating process. As much as I’m aware of my allergies, it’s still dependent on the ingredients in the product. Some chemicals may seem harmless but aren’t. But one thing I know for sure that is a must is sunscreen. Sunscreen doesn’t only protect your skin from pigmentation and UV rays, it also maintains your overall skin health.
Another important point to emphasise: skincare is not one-size-fits-all. I’m someone who doesn’t use facial cleanser, I just wash my face with water. Whilst, some may argue that using water is insufficient to properly clean your face, I beg to differ. Why? Only because going without facial cleanser works for me. If you’re someone who’s still figuring out a proper skincare routine, feel free to experiment and try out what works best for you. You don’t necessarily need a complicated skincare routine to have healthy skin.
Natural Skincare For Everyone, Not Anyone
Natural skincare products versus other ‘synthetic’ skincare products: is there really a difference? Most ‘traditional’ brands use a lot of synthetic chemicals and fragrances that can cause serious harm to surrounding ecosystems. The conclusion? Mass produced skincare products aren’t necessarily packed with the benefits they say they have. Most times their overpromising benefits could just be a guise for the chemicals in them.
Photo by Ron Lach from Pexels
Natural skincare has been the most-talked about trend mainly because of its benefits and how it’s better for the environment. As someone with sensitive skin, natural skincare hasn’t worked well for me. Although natural skincare supposedly helps soothe irritation and reduces redness, it did quite the opposite for my skin. Because of that, I stayed away from essential oils and body lotions from big and small brands alike. I continued researching and experimenting on what I could use. When I first started taking my skincare routine seriously, I looked at various local Malaysian brands. Especially those that sell natural skincare products. But there is one brand in particular that I find really interesting, not to mention super affordable…
Simple Little Things: Malaysian-Made Soap For Sensitive Skin
Introducing Simple Little Things. The founders, Isabelle Lim Yee Mei, Annie Ng and Sophia Lim have been perfecting their bar soap recipe for ten years now. Tried and tested in their own homes, they decided to take the chance. And cater to a niche: sensitive skin type. They sell homemade, fragrance-free soap bars. Other than being fragrance-free, it’s also a three-in-one bar soap: a facial cleanser, body wash, and shampoo! Least to say, I was curious. Ingredients included Himalayan sea salt as a natural exfoliator, peppermint essential oil to give off a cooling and refreshing feeling. And lastly, milk to moisturise. What surprised me is that my skin didn’t react to the bar soap at all. No peeling skin, no itchiness! Did I mention also that it prevents hair fall and controls sebum production?
Photo by Simple Little Things
Photo by Simple Little Things
Photo by Simple Little Things
Ointment For Babies To Beach Lovers
Apart from the soap bars, they also sell another product which is the Violet Sun Insect Bite Ointment. It helps to soothe itchiness, more particularly sandfly bites. Nonetheless, it still works well as a topical ointment for insect bites, minor cuts and even inflammation. It’s made with infused olive oil, sweet almond oil, refined shea butter and menthol essential oil (lavender, tea tree, peppermint, eucalyptus). Both these products are approved by National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA), Ministry of Health Malaysia.
Photo by Simple Little Things
Photo by Simple Little Things
Photo by Simple Little Things
Wondering Where To Find Them?
Simple Little Things will definitely be expanding their skincare product range in the near future. Need more details? Feel free to reach out to Simple Little Things via Facebook or Instagram. They often post skincare tips on their Facebook page so do check that out! As of now, you can find their products on iBeli and Shopee.
Oh, one more thing… Simple Little Things also caters to a niche market for divers since there aren’t many products that are considered reef-safe. I’ll give you a sneak peek: most skincare products especially sunscreen contain the chemical avobenzone, which hugely affects coral life. Stay tuned for the next article on reef-friendly skincare and how using such products could potentially save the ocean.
